Starchitect Experiences Offered As Auction Prizes

A ride in Norman Foster’s helicopter, a possibility to test Bjarke Ingel’s smoke-ring-blowing electrical power plant chimney in Copenhagen, a sizzling-tub hangout with Charles Renfro, and a birdwatching adventure with Jeanne Gang are among prizes becoming auctioned off by an American nonprofit organisation.

Regardless of giving a host of prizes with famous architects, the on the web auction organised by the Van Alen Institute, a prominent New York-based believe tank, has only attracted 23 bids considering that it launched on 6 Might.

This is the second year that the institute has run its Auction of Artwork + Design Experiences, which aims to raise income to assistance its own study programs and design and style competitions.

There are 25 prizes in complete, with participants which includes architects, curators, and photographers. Initial bid costs range from \$500 to \$one,950 and the auction closes on 25 Could.

Between the prizes are a chance to accompany Huge founder Bjarke Ingels on a trip to test the smoke-ring-blowing chimney for the firm’s Amager Bakke Waste-to-Energy Plant in Copenhagen, which has not nevertheless acquired any bids, and a flight over London in Norman Foster’s helicopter that has attracted one bid.

The value for the Large experience begins at \$1,950, and the helicopter ride starts at \$one,450, although Foster himself could not be existing. “You will get pleasure from a privileged view of the architect’s own iconic styles, such as the Gherkin, London’s City Hall, and in the distance the faceted courtyard of the British Museum,” states the auction website.

Winners will have to supply their personal flights and accommodation to select up their prizes.

Charles Renfro. Photograph by Alessio Boni

The possibility to hang out in a jacuzzi with Charles Renfro, a partner at New York firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro, is also up for grabs and has but to obtain any bids. The winner and 3 close friends will obtain a journey to Renfro’s home in Fire Island, New York, and will be invited to “slip into the scorching tub for a roundtable discussion with cocktails,” according to the auction site.

Jeanne Gang

Participants can also bid on a birdwatching expedition in Chicago or New York with Jeanne Gang, founder of Studio Gang Architects. “You are going to observe for herons at Bow Bridge, stalk indigo buntings at the edge of Sheep’s Meadow, and talk birds and buildings with one particular the greatest architects doing work nowadays,” explained the website.

Additional prizes include joining architect Michael Maltzan for a bike tour of Los Angeles dining with interior designers George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg in New York and a chance to shadow UN Studio founder Ben van Berkel in his Amsterdam offices for a day.

“I consider it’s really essential to produce auctions that are not about objects but are about experiences, simply because so several men and women do not need to have a lot more objects,” stated the Val Alen Institute’s executive director David van der Leervan.

“I adore that this auction provides anything quite sweet on a single side — birdwatching with Jeanne Gang — and some thing naughty on the other side — a sizzling tub roundtable with Charles,” said van der Leer.